Even though there are lots of new 2012 hip-hop releases dropping as we get further into this new year
there are still many late 2011 releases still selling and charting well at Amoeba San Francisco including recommended The Roots' recommended Undun on MCA, Chicago emcee/actor Common's latest album on Warner BrothersThe Dreamer, The Believer, and the unstoppably popular Drake's latest/second album Take Care (Cash Money/Universal). The other two releases on this week's Hip-Hop Top Five from the Haight Street Amoeba are the new Wiz/Snoop movie soundtrack (another late 2011 release), and Wax Tailor's album Tales of The Forgotten Melodies which is a much older, albeit amazing, release from the French producer/turntablist. Born Jean-Christophe Le Saoût Wax Tailor has a gift, through his unique layering of sounds and samples and turntable manipulations, of creating these incredible moods. This album was first released in France in 2005 and later picked up in the States by Decon.
In what could easily be called the ultimate stoner duo, two of hip-hop's most outspoken weed advocates (one an OG and one a relative newcomer) Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa team up on the new album Mac & Devin Go to High School on Atlantic which is a soundtrack to the movie that they both star in. or rather it is technically a companion piece to the film with music from and inspired by the movie of the same name in which the two tokers go to High School (think How High - the 2001 stoner comedy film with Method Man and Redman). If you can't believe you somehow missed seeing this new film listed at your local movie theater, you didn't as this is a straight to DVD movie. Meanwhile this soundtrack is a real broad mix of various hip-hop styles that should appeal to fans of both artists. For the twelve track album, which features such party tracks as "Smokin On," "You Can Put It in a Zag, I'mma Put It in a Blunt," and the ever-popular "Young, Wild, and Free (feat Bruno Mars)" that preceded the album's release (video below), Wiz and Snoop have inducted about ten different producers to supply their richly diverse backdrop of beats which, truth be told, is the album's highlight. These producers include Warren G, Jake One, Exile, Drumma Boy, and Cardo.

In addition to the above trailer to help hype the release of Planet Asia's new solo album, Black Belt Theatre, which arrives in Amoeba at the end of this month the Fresno born emcee has teamed up with legendary mixtape master Doo Wop to produce a pre album mixtape. Titled The Arrival this prelude mix, which includes some teasers of what to expect on Black Belt Theatre when it is released on Feb 28th by Wandering Worx/Daddy Real/GreenStreets, is being given away free to fans to download here.

Raka Rich "Copita de Champaña"

To tie in with Valentine's Day this past Tuesday Raka Rich of Panama by way of Oakland duo Los Rakas released his solo EP Raka Love featuring the song "Copita de Champaña." See the video above. Below is another local brand Bay Area song/video and, no doubt, just the beginning of an onslaught of rap/hip-hop songs about or merely referencing NBA sensation Jeremy Lin. In this case it is G Maly's new song/video "Jeremy Lin: All I Do Is Lin" in which the young East Bay rapper gives props to Lin for being an inspiration with the refrain "I'm tryna ball like Jeremy Lin"

G Maly "Jeremy Lin: All I Do Is Lin"

Currently gaining some momentum is a petition from Change.Org that urges "Hip Hoppers, Activists, and Conscious People WorldWide" to sign the circulation petition to have a street in the Bronx named after hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa. The petition notes that Bam is the father of the worldwide culture known as hip-hop and is also the creator of an international organization (Zulu Nation). "He has worked tirelessly for the community. He continues to work tirelessly to educate the misinformed," continues this petition. If you are interested in signing it click here.

And, keeping in the NYC hip-hop frame of mind, finally I leave you with the NYC themed brand new video from Pete Rock & Smif-N-Wessun's current collaborative project, the album Monumental on Duck Down Records which is available at Amoeba in both CD and LP formats. The just released video is for "Top of the World (feat Memphis Bleek)"